Your website is more than just a platform to showcase your services; it’s a 24/7 digital storefront that continually represents your brand to your audience. Whether it’s a new opportunity, a customer considering a purchase, or another key stakeholder, your website needs to perform effectively at all times, functioning on both desktop and mobile. Both the front and back end of your website play a crucial role in its overall performance, and both should be considered when evaluating the need for a redesign. This includes the design, content, and user experience elements that guide visitors along a journey, turning them into customers and clients and allowing them to complete their desired actions.
If you’re unsure whether your website needs a refresh, we’ve outlined the key signs that signal it’s time for a redesign. Our team of web designers and developers are also available to have any discussions with you, offering our ideas, advice and services.
Signs you need a website upgrade
A website redesign isn’t just about aesthetics—it’s about enhancing the overall performance, functionality, and user experience. Whether you have an online e-commerce site or a basic brochure site, re-designing your site can lead to a wide range of benefits. Here are some of the main signs to look out for when upgrading your website:
Your website looks outdated or off-brand
Design trends change rapidly, and a website that looked cutting-edge five years ago can appear outdated today. Websites that feel dated often deter users from engaging, as they may question whether the business is still active. This also means that the website may miss modern features that make for a smoother customer experience. For example, an older site may have limited payment methods, be slow running or have limited UX features. In an era where first impressions are key, a fresh and modern design can immediately engage visitors and keep up with competitors.
Signs of an outdated website include:
- Unresponsive or clunky layouts
- Outdated fonts or imagery
- Overly cluttered or difficult-to-navigate pages
- Missing features
This can also relate to your personal branding. Many businesses opt for a re-brand after a few years, meaning your colours, graphics, font and logo may have changed since you first had your website designed.
Poor mobile experience
With over half of global web traffic coming from mobile devices, having a responsive website is essential. If your website isn’t mobile-friendly, you’re likely losing out on a significant portion of your audience, especially if they are coming from platforms such as social media or email.
Key indicators that your website lacks mobile optimisation include:
- Pages that don’t scale properly on mobile screens
- Difficult navigation on smaller devices
- Slow load times
- Mobile responsiveness
- Placement of UX features
Slow loading times
Users expect websites to load quickly. According to Google, 53% of mobile users abandon a site that takes longer than three seconds to load so if your website is slow, you’re likely losing visitors before they even get a chance to engage with your content. A redesign can help streamline your website’s performance by optimising images, reducing unnecessary code, and improving overall functionality, all of which contribute to faster loading times.
Your website has a high bounce rate
Common reasons for a high bounce rate include poor user experience and misleading search engine results. A high bounce rate indicates that visitors are leaving your site without exploring beyond the landing page. This is often a sign that your website isn’t engaging enough or doesn’t meet the expectations of users.
Your business has evolved
Your business is constantly growing, evolving, and adapting to changes in your industry, personal targets and market conditions. If your website no longer reflects who you are as a business, your website should be one of the first things you change. Whether you are adding new services, changing direction, or have new targets, a redesign allows you to realign your website with your current business goals and create content for new products or services.
Poor SEO performance
Search engine optimisation (SEO) is crucial to driving organic traffic to your site. If your search rankings are slipping, it could be a sign that your website’s structure or content is outdated. Google prioritises websites that are well-organised, mobile-friendly, and provide relevant content so having these in place will give your site a better chance of sitting high on the search results page.
Keeping up to date with competitors
Keeping an eye on your competition is a key aspect of digital marketing. If your competitors have recently redesigned their websites and you haven’t, you may be falling behind on key opportunities. A competitor with a modern, user-friendly website can attract your potential customers and increase their market share. Regularly reviewing your competitors’ websites can give you insight into what’s working for them and highlight areas where your site may need improvement.
